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. 2012 Fall;11(3):248-59.
doi: 10.1187/cbe.11-12-0107.

Biology undergraduates' misconceptions about genetic drift

T M Andrews  1 , R M Price, L S Mead, T L McElhinny, A Thanukos, K E Perez, C F Herreid, D R Terry, P P Lemons
Affiliations

Biology undergraduates' misconceptions about genetic drift

T M Andrews et al. CBE Life Sci Educ. 2012 Fall.

Abstract

This study explores biology undergraduates' misconceptions about genetic drift. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to describe students' definitions, identify common misconceptions, and examine differences before and after instruction on genetic drift. We identify and describe five overarching categories that include 16 distinct misconceptions about genetic drift. The accuracy of students' conceptions ranges considerably, from responses indicating only superficial, if any, knowledge of any aspect of evolution to responses indicating knowledge of genetic drift but confusion about the nuances of genetic drift. After instruction, a significantly greater number of responses indicate some knowledge of genetic drift (p = 0.005), but 74.6% of responses still contain at least one misconception. We conclude by presenting a framework that organizes how students' conceptions of genetic drift change with instruction. We also articulate three hypotheses regarding undergraduates' conceptions of evolution in general and genetic drift in particular. We propose that: 1) students begin with undeveloped conceptions of evolution that do not recognize different mechanisms of change; 2) students develop more complex, but still inaccurate, conceptual frameworks that reflect experience with vocabulary but still lack deep understanding; and 3) some new misconceptions about genetic drift emerge as students comprehend more about evolution.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
This framework hypothesizes how students’ conceptions of genetic drift change over time. Each circle represents an overarching category of misconceptions. Arrows represent the ways in which students’ conceptions may be changing as they learn. (I) Students enter introductory biology with undeveloped conceptions of evolution that do not distinguish among mechanisms of evolutionary change. (II) Students’ conceptual frameworks of evolution grow more complex, but are still highly inaccurate. (III) Students reject some misconceptions but form new ones regarding inaccurate constraints on when drift occurs.
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References

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